The Cleveland Cavaliers were losers on crucial referee calls on the two biggest plays of Tuesday night’s heartbreaking loss to the Indiana Pacers.
In the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report, which breaks down the officiating late in games, the league admitted it missed lane-violation calls in the two biggest moments.
The first one came with the Cavs up 119-112. Aaron Nesmith crashed for a putback dunk to start the Pacers’ game-ending 8-0 run.
Nesmith clearly came in early, and so did a Cleveland player, so the NBA said that should’ve been a jump ball for double lane violations.
Then leading up to the game-winning basket, the Pacers committed another lane violation, according to the NBA. Tyrese Haliburton missed a free throw down two points, and he crashed for his own rebound. That, too, should’ve been a double lane violation, per the NBA.
The Cavs made their own mistakes to blow the lead, but this won’t help them feel any better.
Cleveland needed that game to even the series at 1-1. It would’ve been especially nice given the Cavaliers were playing without Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter due to injury.
Now, the Cavs’ backs are against the wall, and it won’t help them feel any better that they should’ve probably won if the refs just blew their whistles when they were supposed to.
